HTSD Receives Princeton Area Community Foundation Grants

Hamilton Township School District To Receive Two Princeton Area Community Foundation Grants to Keep Kids in School

Hamilton, NJ. The Hamilton Township School District (HTSD), through two partner non-profit organizations, has been awarded two separate $300,000 grants through the Princeton Area Community Foundation; the All Kids Thrive and Community Impact Grant. Each grant will be paid out over a period of five years through the Foundation for Educational Administration and Young Audiences NJ and Eastern PA to reduce chronic absenteeism in our schools.

“This opportunity provided by The Princeton Area Community Foundation through their All Kids Thrive Grant to partner with non-profit organizations for a sustained and research based approach to combating chronic absenteeism is a game changer for education. We will be focused on building community, school culture, and supports to assure our students are attending school and parents are engaged in the school community. Ultimately, students need to be in school so they can learn, and these two grants help us in our effort to lower the absentee rate in our district,” explained Dr. Scott Rocco, HTSD Superintendent.

The Community Impact Grant will be implemented with the support of The Foundation for Educational Administration (FEA) and Young Audiences NJ and Eastern PA. The FEA will work with all Hamilton schools to build and sustain positive school environments, and reinforce the district’s efforts in implementing the Connected Action Road Map. School Climate Teams will provide outreach to parents about attendance and develop personalized attendance plans for struggling students. The agency will also map and analyze all resources currently used to address student needs to determine ways to enhance those resources and where gaps may exist.

Young Audiences NJ and Eastern PA will work with G.E. Wilson Elementary School on four arts education programs as studies show the arts help improve attendance rates. There will be monthly performances to complement academic studies, a Theatre to Learn program that teaches language arts concepts through improvisation and a family arts and creativity program. A master teaching artist will also help teachers integrate the arts into other curricula.

“We are thrilled about the community’s enthusiasm for All Kids Thrive,” said Jeffrey M. Vega, President & CEO of the Community Foundation. “We look forward to working with our nonprofits, teachers, parents and school administrators on these plans. We are also grateful for the financial support we have already received, and we hope other funders will join us as we work to strengthen the educational pipeline in Mercer County.”

For more information, contact Laura Geltch, Hamilton Township School District Coordinator of Grants, Communication and Sponsorships.